Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
About
Christology
Israel/Palestine
Publications
KermitZarley.com
Archives
Categories
- Angels
- Blog Description
- Book Reviews
- Christian Living
  - Unconditional Love?
- Christianity
- Christology
  - Deity of Christ?
  - Holy Spirit
  - Incarnation?
  - My Change
  - Trinity?
- Church History
- Current Events
- War on Terrorism
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
- Eschatology
- Ezekiel 38-39
- Last Empire
- Primitive Weapons
- Film Reviews
- God
- Golf
  - Billy Graham
  - Karsten Solheim
  - Lee Trevino
  - Major Championship Winners
  - Masters
  - Purpose
  - Ryder Cup
- Gospel Harmonization
- Interview
- Islam
- Jesus
- Literary Announcements
- Monotheism
- My Books
  - The Restitution of Jesus Christ
- Old Testament
- Politics
- Society of Biblical Literature
- The Bible
- Trinitarianism
- Uncategorized
FREE NEWSLETTER

Home
Progressive Christian
Religion News
Wayne Grudem Differs with Christianity Today Article

Wayne Grudem Differs with Christianity Today Article

Last updated on: December 31, 2019 at 1:29 am by Kermit Zarley

Wayne Grudem Differs with Christianity Today Article 2019-12-31T01:29:39-07:00 Kermit Zarley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Wayne Grudem wrote an article published yesterday with Townhall entitled, “Trump Should Not Be Removed from Office: A Response to Mark Galli and Christianity Today.” It is Grudem’s response to retiring CT editor-in-chief Mark Galli’s much publicized and controversial article published in CT the day after the House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump.

Dr. Wayne Grudem is “Distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies” at Phoenix Seminary in Arizona. I know Dr. Grudem. Since I live in this area, I have used their library a lot. Phoenix Seminary is an evangelical institution that is not associated with any particular church denomination.

Grudem begins his article by listing six reasons Galli provides in his article for why he thinks Trump should be removed from office. Grudem then proceeds to attempt to refute those reasons. Grudem begins by arguing concerning the Trump-Zelensky phone call on July 25th this year, saying Trump did not try to “coerce a foreign leader,” as Galli claims and the House decided. If you have been following this episode along with the impeachment of Trump, you know that the House brought two articles of impeachment against Trump: (1) abuse of power and (2) obstruction of justice and that this phone call was the main evidence alleged for both.

The argument between Democrats and Republicans centers on whether or not Trump committed a quid pro quo (“this for that”) in requiring Zelensky to announce an Ukrainian investigation into the Bidens and that Trump withheld needed foreign aid of $391 million, designated by Congress, until that happened. On this phone call, Trump did not ask Zelensky to investigate the Bidens, only that he announce such publicly. Indeed, this was affirmed by witnesses in the House impeachment hearings. Yet Grudem says Trump asked Zelensky to investigate. Also, Grudem omitted the key Trump phrase to Zelensky, “I would like you to do us a favor, though.” Trump next spoke of investigating the Bidens. Democrats claim Trump did this since former Vice President Joe Biden had just announced his campaign for the presidency. In doing so, Biden became Trump’s foremost Democratic challenger in the 2020 election.

Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, had been employed on the board of a Ukrainian gas company for a $600,000 annual salary. So, Grudem said, “it seems to me reasonable for officials of the U.S. government to investigate whether there was any corrupt dealing connected to Hunter Biden receiving more than half a million dollars a year.” What! Some corporate American CEOs are paid hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and you think young Biden should be investigated for a $600,000 yearly salary?

Grudem then quotes the Constitution saying of the president that he “‘shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed’ (Art. II, Sec. 1, 3). That implies the president is empowered to investigate allegations of illegal activity. And (I speak here as an ordinary citizen, not an expert) I know of nothing in our Constitution or laws that says there is anything wrong with seeking help from a foreign government in investigating possible corruption.”

Grudem seems to presume that this Constitution article means not only “the laws” of the USA but also the laws of Ukraine, or any other nation, against corruption in its own country. I beg to differ. This is not the same thing as requiring Ukraine to clean up its corruption in order the U.S. to continue its aid, which Joe Biden did and it did not benefit him politically at home. Rather, President Obama sent him to deliver this message, and it had been agreed to by our U.S. allies.

Furthermore, Grudem ignores the main allegation against Trump in doing this, that his motive was to tarnish his political opponent publicly in view of the 2020 election. That would not be protecting our electoral system from influence by a foreign government. Thus, Trump’s request from Zelensky could be “bribery” or “other high crimes and misdemeanors.” It is up to Congress to decide whether or not it is. Yet Grudem ignores this important issue about foreign interference in our election.

Grudem then cites critics saying Trump was wrong by asking Zelensky “to investigate Biden for the sake of personal political benefit” for Trump. Grudem responds, “I see nothing wrong with the president doing things that will bring him personal, political benefit.” But Grudem does not distinguish between doing this within the confines of the political process in our country compared to doing so by means of a foreign country.

In fact, the reason special counsel Robert Mueller conducted his nearly two-year investigation, and issued his 448-page report about it, was that there was plenty of evidence suggesting that there may have been collusion during the 2016 presidential campaign for the presidency between Trump and his aids with Russian government operatives. Although Mueller concluded in his report that they could not find any certain wrongdoing, he nevertheless stated that they could not exonerate Trump. Yet despite this investigation into Trump possibly using Russia for political benefit, Grudem’s statement above indicates that he believes Trump could have done so and not broken any U.S. laws or violated the Constitution. Since Grudem seems to be a Republican, I doubt he would have so concluded if we were talking about a Democrat.

Grudem continues this line of thought regarding the remaining five reasons Galli alleged. Grudem therefore says Trump’s request to Zelensky was “not immoral” as Galli has alleged.

Two days after the Access Hollywood video was released, in which Trump spoke of his sexual harrassment of women, using vulgarity, Grudem penned an article in Townhall in which he denounced, calling for him to withdraw from the campaign. Yet Grudem says he voted for Trump anyway.

Grudem’s article is lengthy, so I will not bore you with more about this. Most of its remainder is about Trump’s alleged immoral character with especially women and lying. Grudem concludes this article by saying, “I’ll vote again for Trump.”

I think Galli is more on the side of truth about all of this than Grudem is. It does show, as I blogged the last time on this subject, that evangelicals are quite divided about this, and this disagreement is finding its way into the media.

Previous Post

December 23, 2019

Evangelicals Divided about Christianity Today Article

Next Post

January 4, 2020 Would Trump Risk War with Iran to Distract from his Impeachment?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Angels Billy Graham Blog Description Book Reviews Christian Living Christianity Christology Church History Current Events Deity of Christ? Disarmament Eschatology Evangelicalism Ezekiel 38-39 Film Reviews God Golf Gospel Harmonization Health History Holy Spirit Incarnation? Interview Islam Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Jesus Last Empire Literary Announcements Major Championship Winners Masters Monotheism My Books New Testament Old Testament Politics Primitive Weapons Ryder Cup Science Society of Biblical Literature The Bible The Restitution of Jesus Christ Trinitarianism Trinity? Uncategorized Unconditional Love? War on Terrorism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A horse A donkey A camel A chariot

Books by This Author Books by Kermit Zarley Blog

See All Titles »